


Healers

by oinenmokotin



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 22:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13866975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oinenmokotin/pseuds/oinenmokotin
Summary: Karin begins to make herself a home, and perhaps a friend.





	Healers

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first draft of this around the time Karin and Sakura had only just met in the manga, and what I then speculated might happen has since turned into alternate continuity.

"I love what you've done with your hair."  
  
She turns to face the other girl, and it takes her a moment to realize the compliment is sincere.  
  
"Uh, thanks," is her confused reaction, and she kind of hopes the conversation ends there.  
  
"It's bold," the Konoha girl—Sakura, she reminds herself—continues, however. "Makes you look good in a different way depending on which side you're seen from. You can definitely pull it off."  
  
"Yours is nice, too," she ventures. "It's practical, but cute. That your natural color?" She immediately wonders if that's rude to ask, and then why she cares if it is.  
  
Sakura nods.  
  
"Nice. Mine, too. Can you believe people assume it's not, I mean it's just bright red. And when do they suppose I have the time to keep dyeing the roots anyway?"  
  
"Oh, believe me, I know," Sakura sighs. "No clue how Ino-pig manages to juggle being a ninja, civilian work, and a social life, all while looking as flawless as she does."  
  
"Ino-pig," Karin more states than asks, because what she can't determine from the already said, she isn't sure she wants to know.  
  
"Only I'm allowed to call her that, though," Sakura informs her, and adds with a little laughter, "she calls me forehead girl."  
  
"Okay."  
  
They walk in silence a while, as Sakura escorts her to what will be her new home sweet home. She is no longer being interrogated, and she is trusted enough to not be a prisoner. Still, she knows she will be under surveillance, and she would consider the Leafs horrible wusses if she wasn't.  
  
"Well, that's a little ascetic," Sakura says at the sight of the unfurnished one-room, sounding like an embarassed host. "I guess it's because we're still a bit under reconstruction, but still... You know what, you can get a spare futon from me."  
  
"It's fine," Karin starts. She has lived long enough as a homeless fugitive to appreciate a roof over her head. But the thought of sitting alone in that small place has her continue speaking. "Listen, uh..."  
  
Sakura smiles at her, and Karin forgets what she was going to say for a second.  
  
"Wanna go do something? I don't know, buy some stuff, since they gave me money."  
  
She isn't used to having other girls as aquaintances, or to letting herself think about missing that. There was Tayuya, but she was a bit older than her, and they hardly ever got to interact, and... well, then, of course, she died. It's odd to think that Sakura's friends probably killed her, and that knowing that is more awkward than frightening. They were enemies then, and she supposes she and Sakura aren't anymore. She wonders if there are any women in Akatsuki. It feels like all she ever comes across is men and boys she needs to be useful to.  
  
"Sure, I've got time right now," Sakura says, still smiling. "What do you have in mind?"  
  
She isn't quite sure, but she wants to hang out with this girl a while longer. "That wall could use a mirror," she settles for, spotting a protruding nail.  
  
"Oh, you're right!" Sakura snaps her fingers. "I know a furniture store nearby, we can get this place looking like a home in no time. I can lend you money if you run out. It's necessities, after all."  
  
"Wow, thanks."  
  
"No problem, I know you'll earn it back soon. You're talented."  
  
Karin snorts, smelling flattery. "Yeah, the last you've seen of me in action was having to stitch my chest back together."  
  
Sakura's smile vanishes, and they fall into silence, looking anywhere but at each other's face. Karin's scar is still healing and the memory of teardrops on her bloodied sleeve fresh.  
  
"Actually, I had a look at your files," Sakura confesses. Her tone lightens up with each word. "I can get you a job at the lab if you want, for starters anyway, but you'll do well on scout missions, too, when you can, if you want to pursue that. You'll find your place here, I'm sure of that!"  
  
"Huh, well." She feels like her brows must have climbed to her hairline. "Thanks, I... I'll consider that." She picks up the bag she has just set down—it contains all of her belongings including that pocket money, anyway—preparing to head out. "Is the lab where you work?"  
  
"Yeah, that or the hospital, when I'm not on a mission. Tsunade-shishou—"  
  
"The Fifth Hokage?"  
  
Sakura nods, as she opens the door for them. "She's the one who taught me. She comes by when she has time and takes care of the most difficult cases, but when she's not around and either Shizune or I am, we're in charge of the place."  
  
"I used to run a prison," she says to point out common ground, without thinking, and the 'forehead girl's' forehead is in a frown. "I... let the prisoners go, though," she adds, and sees her companion's expression relax. "I should have a lot sooner, no one was going to come back for them anyway..." and before she can stop herself, she mumbles, "no one was going to come back for me."  
  
Sakura has stopped walking, and so has she. She knows what is going to be said next, but wonders if Sakura has it in her to do it.  
  
"Sasuke did."  
  
Karin sighs, not looking at her. "'Fraid so."  
  
There's a hand squeezing her shoulder, and now she has to look anyway.  
  
Sakura doesn't smile, and Karin appreciates the lack of false reassurances. Instead, for the first time all day Karin finds herself looked at in a way that should be expected by someone who was involved in murdering the village's leader (however unpopular he seems to have been). For some reason she hadn't, from this girl, and it's not out of considering her too weak for it. Karin has more than a feeling Sakura could level mountains when pushed, literally, and metaphorically with her will. Her power is warm, though, protective—broad wings that wrap around what's precious and are quicker to let in than let go.  
  
Then she realizes the anger isn't protectiveness _from_ her. It's _of_ her.  
  
Karin pushes her glasses up her nose bridge to have something covering her face, and says, "I'm hugry, too, actually." She was eating breakfast when Sakura came to pick her up, of course, but that's what she's said now.  
  
Sakura's hand leaves her shoulder. "Food first, or furniture?"  
  
"Food," Karin says almost before the question has finished.  
  
Smiling again, Sakura asks jokingly if Karin is related to her teammate, and begins to lead them in a different direction. Karin walks beside her, and they pick a place to eat at together. She could get used to this.  
  
Sakura carries a wound, too, beneath her wings and her smile. Karin doesn't need her sensor abilities to see that.  
  
She doesn't know yet how loyal she'll be to Konoha if she has to choose, or what the choice would be between. Whatever happens, she finds herself hoping Sakura comes out of it alive, with the wound on its way to closing rather than cut deeper.


End file.
